Primary Election Is Sept. 19

Keys races are on the ballot

For those who haven't already sent in their absentee ballots, don't forget to vote in the primary election that comes next Tuesday, Sept. 19.

There are several keys races on the primary ballot in Klickitat County, including a Republican Party primary that will determine who will serve as Klickitat County Sheriff for the next four years and a Republican Party primary that will determine who will serve as Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney for the next four years.

On the Democratic Party side, Democrats in District 2 will determine who will win their party's nomination for the open Klickitat County Commissioner's seat (Note: only voters in District 2 -- roughly the middle third of the county -- will have the Democrats' County Commission race on their ballots).

In Skamania County, Republicans will choose between two candidates to fill an open seat on the three-member Skamania County Board of Commissioners in District 3 (the eastern part of the county).

Also, Underwood area voters will vote on a levy lid lift measure that, if approved, would fund a new fire station across from the existing station in Underwood.

Reminder to voters: To participate in the party primary, voters must mark the oval that expresses which party's primary (Republican or Democrat) they want to participate in on Sept. 19, then must vote for candidates ONLY within that particular political party. Voters cannot vote for a Democrat in one race and a Republican in another, or the votes will not count.

In Washington, voters do not register as "Republicans" or "Democrats," and voters can choose to participate in either the Democratic or Republican political party's primary.

Also, there are several Washington Supreme Court primary battles appearing on the non-partisan portion of the primary ballot. All voters can vote in the non-partisan races.

According to the Klickitat County Auditor's Office, there are 11,463 registered voters in Klickitat County. The Auditor's Office reported it had mailed 7,531 absentee ballots to voters, meaning that about 66 percent of the county's voters will be voting by mail instead of at the polling places.

As of Sept. 12, 1,404 election ballots have already been voted and returned. So with a week to go before Election Day, 12 percent of the county's voters have already cast their ballots, an indication of a possible high turnout.

Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Sept. 19 in order to be counted. Regular polling places will open on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

A sample ballot, courtesy of the Klickitat County Auditor's Office, appears in this (Sept. 14) issue of The Enterprise. Preliminary election results will be printed in the Sept. 21 edition of The Enterprise.

Be a part of the democratic process: Don't neglect your right to vote.